Pain in the Mind
by Critical Darling
Summary: After freeing Hyrule from the evils of Ganondorf and the Twilight Realm. Link is left broken. Both mind and spirit. Can Zelda help him find peace within his mind? Or will Link's agony consume him? (One shot) ((Inspired by the ending of First Blood. Heartwrenching scene, I tell you!))


It all started on a Day of the Sun in Hyrule. The people were smiling and laughing. Business bloomed for many shops. Soldiers saw their families and sung tales. It was peaceful for everybody.

All but one.

The newly knighted Link, Hero of Time, Savior of Hyrule and the Twilight Realm, General of Princess Zelda's Army was breaking.

**Zelda**

Zelda sat at her desk going over paperwork, unaware of what would happen down at the center of town. Her mind wondered to the heroics of Link and Midna. They did so much for the Kingdom of Hyrule and Midna had to leave to govern her realm. It left the Hero missing her friend along with the Princess. She too cared for Minda and would never forget her. Now she had Link to think about.

Her mind was carried back to reality when a guard bursted in and said frantically

"Your Majesty! You must come! He's gone absolutely mad!" Zelda looked up at the guard and asked "What's going on?" "It's General Link, Your Majesty!" The guard answered.

Zelda stood up confused but followed the guard out of her castle and down to the market center where she saw a circle formed next to the fountain. She pushed through the denizens and saw their faces filled with fear at something. Zelda pushed through and froze at the sight in front of her.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" a voice filled with rage said to the guards who attempted to get close to him. He always would push them back by swinging his sword around without precision. His face was riddled with blind rage and sadness. Millions of tears dripped from his bloodstained eyes as he stared at everyone blindly. He kept swinging until one guard rushed him and he threw the guard down and raised his sword up to impale the foolish soldier. Millions of voices cried out in fear from the sight of seeing a boy about to kill someone. He was about to plunge it down until a voice cried out.

"Link!"

She stared at the hero with horror. Here was the boy who saved him and her entire people from the evils of Ganondorf only to attempt to kill a guard. Her heart was wrenching to see the boy she had a fondness and even affection for. She slowly walked towards him but a guard spoke "Your Majesty! No!" Zelda spoke with a commanding voice "Stand down!" She looked back at the Green Hero to see him stare at her with nothing but sadness that filled a person's perspective of a hurt child. "Z-Zelda..." He said with a cracked voice from too much screaming. She slowly walked to him and spoke "Stand down Link. It's over. No one's going to hurt you anymore."

His arm shook from the weight of his sword and he dropped it down next to the guard who crawled away. He stood away and Zelda walked closer "Link. It's over. Ganon is gone. It's over." His voice scared everyone as he pointed at her and yelled

"NOTHING IS OVER! NOTHING! It never ends! This wasn't my war! You asked me! I didn't ask you! But I did what I had to win this! But something didn't let me win! Then after it's all finished, I see all these people praise me as a hero... I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A HERO!! I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!! Who're these people to call me a hero unless they saw EXACTLY what I am!"

"You saved us all, Link. You brought us peace. It's all in the pass now." Zelda spoke with calmness but in her mind, she was afraid. Afraid of the boy she grew to love in a short amount of time.

"FOR YOU! To me, this is all NOTHING! Out there, me and Midna watched each other out there! Back here, SHE'S GONE! There's NOTHING!"

Zelda walked closer and spoke again "She's not gone Link. She still lives in your heart. She may be away but she won't forget you."

"Out there, I killed monsters. I saved lives. I was living the life an adventurer. Back here, I can't even have a DECENT CHALLENGE!!" In rage, he grabbed his sword and threw it at the Triforce statue where the sword was embedded into the third piece, the Triforce of Courage. Everybody looked in shock at the display before them.

Link backed up against the fountain then slid down as he sat down in defeat and sadness. Slowly feeling all the anger dissipate from his mind and all that was left was a broken boy in sadness.

"I can't... I can't do this. There's nothing here..." He spoke in a cracked voice then spoke again "When we went to the Twilight Realm, the first thing I hear are cries and moans from the people. It's just... It's just all I heard! These people were suffering horribly! And all these people were just doing was going about their day! I still hear their fucking screams!"

The brunette Princess kneeled down in front of the hurt hero and pulled him to her where he started clinging onto her, afraid that she'll leave. She felt tears drip down her cheeks and she started stroking his hair in a soothing sensation. His cries became heart wrenching to hear as he remembered all the horrors of his adventures only to be thrown into a peaceful time where he couldn't do anything.

Link started speaking through cries and hiccups "I once went into Kakariko Village where a tribe of Moblins attacked the villagers. I was going there to check on the Zora Prince where he was being healed. I heard screams coming from everywhere... Children being grabbed by those fucking bastards. Women stabbed and... And... Violated! I just went through and killed them all! One woman was alive and... and she asked for me to kill her! I saw her pain in my eyes and I... Obliged! I killed an innocent woman because of those Moblins! I remember screaming and crying for two full days and Midna was the only comfort I had! I can't get it out of my head!"

Link bursted into more tears and cried more as he clung onto the princess. Zelda herself held onto Link tightly and buried her fingers into his hair and silently cried from hearing the horrifying story. Many of the citizens and a few of the soldiers felt sick. Zelda brought his head up to her and pushed it to the crook of her neck to soothe him as she rocked him back and forth like a child. She never realized the horrors of even the most common of enemies could do. She hears the Hero in Green silently cry and sniffled while slowly drifting off to sleep after using up his energy in his anger and sadness. Zelda whispered into his ear

"It's all gone, Link. The people won't be hurt anymore. They're safe. I know they are. It's time to come home. To me."

Link looked up at her only for Zelda to press her lips against his gently and passionately. He gasped but leaned into the kiss before breaking the kiss and closing his eyes and falling into a state of unconsciousness. Two guards grabbed Link from her "Be gentle" she ordered and an ebony woman walked up to the guards "Come to my tavern, I can help him." She lead the guards to her tavern. Zelda stood up and looked up to see all the citizens with tears in their eyes and guilt across their faces. Zelda spoke to them "It's not your fault. No one's to blame." She walked in the direction of the tavern after the people parted for her. A little girl walked up to the princess and asked in a small voice "Will he be okay, princess?" She looked down at the child then kneeled down and responded "I don't know... But I promise to help him to the fullest of my abilities. I swear this, child." The little girl smiled and bowed before the princess. She smiled and stood back up and continued her walk to the tavern.

**The Void of the Goddesses**

In the darkest void, a female figure in green watches from the sky with tears in her eyes and her mouth covered by her hands to hold any cries from the sight of her champion. Soon a blue female figure appeared to the green female and asked "Farore, what troubles you?" Farore looked up to see her sister, Nayru, look at her with concern. She replied with a voice full of sadness and "My champion is in such agony... It pains me to see him like this..."

Nayru looked down and watched from the beginning only to have tears in her eyes as well. She sees her champion, Zelda comfort him and she spoke "She's the only one capable of mending his mind and spirit." Farore looked at Zelda from above and dawned a small smile "So many generations of the Hero and the Princess and now... Their love seals them together closer than ever before."

Nayru pulled her green sister into a hug and stroked her back "They will rise from this. I promise you, sister." Farore smiled as she hugged her sister back and looked back down to see them in the tavern.

**Telma's Tavern**

Link laid on a bed where a magician waved his hand in front of his face and glowing runes appeared as the magician searched through his mind of the horrors. After going through, the magician walked out of the room and to the Princess and Telma, the owner of the tavern. He spoke "His mind is breaking from the horrors he's seen. I detected a mind leech. It's feeding on his suffering and I fear soon, his mind will break and he'll go mad. I don't know what else we can do." Princess Zelda covered her mouth with her hand for she knew who planted that leech into his mind. Tears flowed down her cheeks once more and said "No... I can't let him be lost..." Telma laid a hand on her shoulder and said "Listen, hun, I've met Link several times and he's always shown bravery and smiled through the pain. Even I knew he couldn't hold it all in forever. What he needs is the one he loves the most to be the light in his darkest time." Zelda looked at her then nodded sadly. She stood up and walked towards the room where Link was kept. The two guards let her through then closed the door.

She looked at her heroic general as he slept peacefully yet he was hurt. She sat on the edge of his bed and looked at him "You have been so brave and courageous. You never thought about yourself. Not even for one second. Now you lay here... Hurt and broken. I was foolish... I never realized of the evil you'd see during your travels. I'm so sorry Link... This is all my fault. Please forgive me." She silently cried as she held his hand and raised his hand her mouth and gently kissed his knuckles "I love you Link... So much. I swear on my life, I will help you heal from your madness."

She felt her hand be squeezed gently and she looked at Link in surprise to see him smiling. He didn't say anything but he reached over and kissed her lips and she responded with her kissing back. She cupped his cheeks and pressed her lips deeply into his.

**Two Years later**

Link woke up from his sleep and looked to his right to see that she was still asleep. Her face held beauty even in sleep and smiled. He touched her shoulder and his thumb brushed against her skin. He had no idea how he had managed to capture her heart but he did and now he stood, the King of Hyrule, ruling with his love, Zelda, Queen of Hyrule. After that day and he leech being removed due a combination of the magicians magic and Zelda's, they cured his mind and he slowly healed over time. However, he still remembered the tragedy of the Twilight Realm and Kakariko Village but soon, he put it all in the past. He looked to see the sun slowly rise and he rose from his bed and stretched.

He heard noises coming from the bed to see Zelda awakening ((See what I did there ;)) she rose up to see him looking at her and she smiled "Good morning, my love." Link crawled on the bed and kissed his Queen. "Good morning, my Queen."

They stood dressed atop of their balcony to stare at the peacefulness of their kingdom. Then they walked to their throne room where they sat on their respected thrones only for the doors to open to reveal a dark figure. It was slender with cloth flowing behind the figure. The figure had a mixture if pale and dark skin and bright orange hair to highlight. Upon closer inspection, Link and Zelda gasped. Their friend returned. She gave a smirk as she put a hand on her hip and said "Well? Aren't you going to come hug me?"

**тнє єи**


End file.
